Street-stop signal for vehicles



Dec, 25, 1928.

' c. w. KLEMENT V STREET STOI SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES Filed 00mm, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 17 P IG.E

U a :ZD V- :20 r A6 INVENTUR:

I BY g amzh Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES,

* 1,696,277 PATENT OFFICE.

enemas ALTER KLEMENT, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

STREET-STOP SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed October 31, 1927. Serial No. 230,003.

. the operatorstime to operate and regulate;

to simplify the construction and installation of such indicators, whether electrically or manually operated; to so design the indicator that it can-be made into a single detachable unit; to have means whereby the sequence of stops on one route is changed automatically with the direction of travel; to so design such a device that it can be made into a practical size while at the same time provide fora great number of routes and a large number of street stops to each route.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the device in elevation with the casing in section.

Figure 2 is a view in section of the canvasoperated switch mechanism.

Figures 3 and 4 are two views of the switch mechanism used for automatically skipping stops.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front view of one of the stencilled belts and the blank or unstencilled belt.

Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front elevation view of the motor and clutch mechanism.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the circuits or wiring used in the device complete.

Figure 9 is a view in elevation of the foot and manually operated mechanism for actuating the device. i b

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one part of the foot-operated mechanism.

Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of Figure 12.

Figure 12 is a section on Figure 9.

Like numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the roof of a vehicle such as a street car, through which roof an opening 11 is made.

12, 13 and 14 are rollers or reels loosely mounted on the upper members 15 of the line 12-9-12 in and 17 rigid frame 16. The reels 12 and13 have each a belt or canvas 17 and 17 respectively, mounted or Wound therearound and stencilled consecutively with the names of the street stops'on each route or circuit. One, two or more of suchreels can be used soas to equip each streetcar with enough canvas to include all the different routes comprised in the entire railway system. Take for instance, route A: all stops onthat route are arranged consecutively on the belt 17, .First Avenue, Second Avenue, etc; on the same canvas immediately after route-A is stencilled route B, consisting of the stops First Avenue, Second Avenue, etc. andso on until the entire canvas 17 on the reel 12 is filled. The canvas 17 on reel 13 is similarly printed or stencilled. Thereel 14 has a short belt 18 left blank or unstencilled, this belt being used to operatively connect with either of thebelts 17 or 17 and Wind same around the reel 14, which becomes the driving reel when the belts travel in the direction ofthe arrows (see Figure 1-). The loose end of the belt 18 is further provided with suitable-means for fastening with corresponding means in the loose end of the belts 17 and 17 as with soft metal hooks 20 secured to the belt 18 near the loose end thereof and engaging in holes or slots 21 in each of saidbelts 17 Once any of the belts 17 and 17 can be operatively connected with the belt 18, any of the reels 12 and 13 can be driven or made to drive to wind or unwindjthe canvas.

Hooks 21 are provided as shown, whereby the loose end of each canvas or belt can be releasably fastened thereto and kept out of around the idler (as shown in Figure 1) and is provided with a hinged glass-paneled door 24. A suitable electric motor 27, preferably a small induction induction motor, is used as the driving power of the device, it being located underneath the reserve reel 13.

In order to facilitate the building and installation of the device, whether into alreadyconstructed cars or in cars in process of manufacture, the reels, motor and idler are mounted on theframe 16, or in other words, the device complete forms a unit that can be placed into and removed from a vehicle. Accordingly, the frame is formed substantially as shown, consisting of two parallellyrai ranged units or frame members each having the upper and lower horizontal parallel members 15 and 15 and the upright end members 15 the two frame units being retained in their spaced relation by means of spacers 15; the lower members 15 are bent downwardly as at 15" to provide a centrally located lower portion 15 upon which the motor is supported and from which the idler is rotatably or loosely suspendedby means of the bracket 28. A cover or lid 29 is removably secured upon the roof over the opening 11 so as to close said openin Ready access is gained into the device mechanism from the roof by removing; the lid, and similarly the device can be easily placed into operative position and as easily removed.

' The reels are each provided with a sprocket 30 rigid therewith and in alignment each with a corresponding or co-acting sprocket 31 loosely mounted on the motor shaft 32.

Sprocket chains 33 are trained between'the sprockets 31 and 30 so as to rotate the reels from the motor. In order to separately rotate the shaft sprockets 31, or in other words to separately propulse the chains and therefore rotate their corresponding reels, a suitable clutch mechanism is provided: rigid with each of the shaft sprockets 31 is a'gear 34 adjacent whichis a collar 35 rigidly secured upon the motor shaft; each collar has a lever, 36 and 36 pivotally mounted upon each of said collars as shown; each lever can be turned to engage with or clear the corresponding gear 34; by referring to Figure 7, it will be seen that the levers are here shown in such a position that the only sprocket chain now being propulsed is one of the end ones; if this chain therefore drives the reel 14, then this reel becomes the driving reel, While the other two reels are free, the reel 12 being driven and the canvas travelling in the direction of the arrow (Figure 1). In order to retain the levers 36 and 36 in neutral or inoperative position, or in operative position, a tensioned spring 36 is provided in the lever 36, and a number of teeth 36 and a springactuated finger 36 are provided on the lever 36", all as best shown in Figure 7.

The canvas is provided with uniformly spaced holes, perforations or slots 40 situated in each of the divisions enclosing the street stops; the switch mechanism 41* positioned to lie in the path ofthe canvas 17 or 17% as the case may be,is designed to co-aet with the said perforations in stoppingythe motor 27 at regular distance intervals travelled by the canvas. Thus whether the driving reel door 24. The switch mechanism shown hercin consists of a casing or box -12 adapted to be secured to a fixed part, having an arm 41 pivoted at 42 on the end of which is a roller or cam ll riding or rolling on the canvas; the arm is normally held in a position substantiall at right angles to the canvas by means of a tension spring i5 attached at one end to one end of said arm and at the other end to the casing; the arm carries two contacts 46 and 46 electrically connected to a lead wire 47 and positioned to engage the spring contacts 48 or 48' electrically connected to another lead 47 when said arl'n is swung out of the normal position which it is forced to assume under the action of the spring -l5. \Vhen the canvas is actuated or propelled and the roller on the arm 11 clear or disengaged from any of the slots -10, or is in other words riding upon the canvas, the arm is swung from its normal position and one of its contacts 16 or 46* engages one of the corresponding contacts 48 or 48, according to the direction of t 'avcl of the canvas.

The canvas rides over the rollers 19 positioned near the switch mechanism, and in order to retain the canvas under slighttension the reels are provided with suitable brakes that slightly resist their rotation. T he drawings disclose a small corrugated wheel 50 rigid on the shaft of each reel upon which rides a spring 51 having the end curved as at 52; irrespective of the direction oi rotation of the reel, the spring slides or slips on the wheel while at the same time braking same.

The motor 2Tis included in the main circuit, represented by the lead wires 58 and 50% in which is a spring button switch 51 of any suitable type or design; the motor is therefore started or operated by pressing upon the button to electrically connect the motor to the source of electricity. In the main circuit is a suitable twoway switch 50 whereby the motor can be reversed. The lead wires 47 and 47* are connected to the lead wire 50, as shown in Figure 8, so that these leads 4'? and 4:7 form a sup 'ilementarv or second circuit whereby the switch mechanism 41" can be operated to electrically connect the motor to the source of electricity after the button switch 51 is released. An electric bulb 52" is preferably provided and located as shown in Figure 8, so as to warn theoperatorwben the switch mechanism 41'' operates to close the circuit; at this signal the operator rcleases the electric button 51.

It is sometimes found in some street railway systems, routes or circuits in which stops are shipped when travelling in one: dircctimi. for instance taking route A going north. the

is partly empty or is full, the distance intersequence of stops is First Avenue, Second till Avenue and Twentieth Avenue; going south the stops are Twentieth Avenue Fourth Avenue, Third Avenue, (Second Avenue skipped) and First Ave? nue. In order to provide for this condition, a third switch mechanism 52 is pro vidcd, co-acting with the beltand electrically connecting the motor to the source of electricity when the motor would otherwise be disconnectedby the automatic action of the switch mechanism 41*. This switch 52 is included in a third circuit represented by the.

lead wires 53 and 03 connected as shown in Figure 8 to the lead 50 the form of switch disclosed herein consists of two spring con tacts 54 and 54 connected to the leads 53 and 53", respectively, and formed to normally be out of contact. The belt has the tags 55 on one edge thereof positioned and sized to slidably engage the contact 54 and press same downwardly to electrically contact with the corresponding contact 54; these tags are secured opposite the stops which are to be skipped, (Second Avenue in Figure In order to render'this third circuit operative for one direction of travel of the beltas otherwise this switch would not be necessary-a guide plate 56 curved as at 56 and 56 is positioned and formed to lie in the path of the tags and deflect same or otherwise guide them. so as to escape engagement 'with the spring contact 54 when travelling in one direction and to cause their engage ment when travelling in the opposite direction. For instance, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the tags engage the end 56 and are guided onto the contact 54' to close the circuit when the canvas is travelling in the direction of the arrow; Second Avenue is now skipped; when the canvas travels in the opposite direction ,the tags engage the end 56 and are deflected to avoid e-ngagement with said contact 54; Second Avenue is 'now' a stop. Similarly,if skips areto be made when travelling 111 both directions,

are uniform; The sprocket 60 is detachably' secured upon the shaft 32 so as to permit of the complete device being removed from the vehicle. 61 is a sprocket secured to the horizontally-arranged shaft 62, and 63 is a sprocket chain trained between the sprockets 61 and 60 The chainis actuated by any one of the two trigger mechanisms 65. The trigger is formed with a flat plate or portion66 having a round bearing portion 67 adjustably mounted on the rod 68; the portion .66 pivotally carries the finger 71 sized to engage the chain and springheld in operative end of the bar 68 threaded to receive the nut 75; a spring 76 encircling the rod 68 and positioned between the nut 75 and the bottom of the portion 7 5 normally retains the lugs 7 7 in the notches 78, thus releasa-bly look ing the foot operated trigger mechanism in operative or non-operative position, (one shown in position in Figure 9). The manually operated mechanism is formed with the rods 68 and 68 vertically journalled in the floor 80 and having the spacer 68 the downward motion of which is yieldingly resisted by the action of the spring 79 disposed between the bar 68 and the bearing 81 and checked or determined bythe engagement of the-spacer 68 with the screw 82 of the governor. The bar 68 is made long enough to extend upwardly to within the easy reach of the motorman. In order to actuate the chain in both directions, the mechanism disclosed in Figure 9 is duplicated on the other side of the vertical centre line C bisecting the sprocket 61, only one set of such mechanisms'being here shown for the sake of expediency. So as to conven iently locate these mechanisms, it is preferable that the axis of the shaft 62 be laid parallel with the axis of the vehicle and-in the motormans vestibule, sothat the required control is well within the easy reach of the motorman or operator. The governor consists of the bevel gear 86 horizontally mounted and meshing with the corresponding bevel gear 84 rigid with the sprocket 61. On the shaft 85 of the bevel gear 86 is a sprocket 89 in alignment with a sprocket 88 loosely inountedon the bracket 89. The sprocket 88 is threaded to receive the screw 82 which is enlarged at the bottom end to slide within the hollow base of said bracket; a chain 92 is trained between the sprockets 88 and 89, therefore rotating the screw 82 from the travel of the chain 63. It will be apparent that another set of screws 82. chain 92, sprocket 89, etc, is provided on the opposite side of the shaft 62, as partly suggested by the numerals and dotted lines.

The position of the screw 82 determines the range of action of the trigger or manually operated mechanism by the engagement of the bar 68 with the top end otsaid screw. The screw is therefore threaded to such a pitch and so positioned originally in the sprocket will decrease or increase as the reel is being filled or emptied.

l ii the proper lever mechanism.

Operation: The roof cover 29 is lifted and the device complete deposited upon the roof and secured in position; the cover is then closed down. The different wire leads are connected in their required positions so as to electrically connect the motor 27 and the various circuits to the source of electricity. The device complete is now ready to be operated.

The direction of rotation of the motor 27 is next determined by means of the 2-way switch 50". The reel 12 or 13 having the canvas on which is printed or sl'cncillcd the route on which the vehicle is now to operate, is next operatively connected to the belt 18 on reel 14 and the direction of travel of the bolt is determined by turning the corresponding lever mechanism v.36 or 36*, so as to impart rotation to one of thereels from the motor. If the canvas is to travel in the direction 'of the arrow (Figure l), the reel 1% is rotated; if the belt is to travel in the opposite direction then reel 12 or 13, as the case may be, is rotated by changing or clutching To start the motor, the spring button 51 is pressed down to close the main circuit, and is held long enough to allow time for the belt to travel sutliciently to cause the perforation i0 in the belt to clear the roller 4A of the switcn arm i1. As soon as the roller is thus clear of the perforation, the button is released and the motor remains electrically connected to the source of electricity, owing to the engagement of the contact on the arm 41 with one of the two contacts 48 or 48 in the switch mechanism 41 lVlien the travel of the belt. has brought the succeeding slot or perforation in a position to allow the roller to fall thereinto, the connection is broken and the motor stops. After the vehicle has passed that stop, the button is again pressed down, starting the motor and moving the belt; the belt moves until the roller of the switch arm 41 again falls into the next succeeding perforation when the motor is again stopped withthc new stop or street name appearing in the window 24, and so on until the end of the route or circuit has been reached. Before the vehicle proceeds on the"return trip, the two-way switch is reversed so as to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor.

The same operation as just described is repeated until the vehicle has again reached the starting point. If on the way down stops are to be shipped, as many stops are shipped as there are tags; owing to the engagement of the tags with the switch contact 54:, which is thus pressed down to engage the correspond ing contact 54: and electrically connect the motor to the source of electricity, notwithstanding the breaking'of the circuit by the automatic operation of the switch mechanism 41*.

If the device is operated mechanically, either by the foot trigger or the manuallyoperated bars, the finger 71 engages the chain 63, forcing same downwardly and therefore rotating the gear 61 and shaft 32 by varying increments but moving the canvas by uniform distance increments.

hat I claim is:

1. In a street stop indicator, :1 pair of spaced reels having a belt wound therearound and extending therebetwcen, means including an electric motor for alternately driving one of said reels, a main electric circuit including said motor therein, a switch mechanism in said circuit co-acting with said belt and adapted for breaking said circuit at regular distance intervals travelled by said belt, a second circuit and a button therein for starting said motor when said main cir cult is broken by said switch mechanism, and a third circuit and a switch mechanism therein co-acting with said belt and adapted for electrically connecting said motor to the source of electricity when said belt travels in a predetermined direction and when said first-mentioned switch mechanism breaks said first-mentioned circuit.

2. The combination with a vehicle having a roof and an opening therethrough, of a frame adapted to be laid upon said roof, an idler suspended from said frame and projecting into said vehicle through said opening when said frame is lying upon said roof, a pair ofireels loosely mounted on said frame having a belt wound therearound and extend ing therebetween and engaging said idler, means for alternately driving one of said reels, and a cover removably secured over said openin 3. The combination with a vehicle having a roof and an opening therethrough, of a frame having lower members adapted to rest upon said roof and a substantially central portion extending below said lower members and formed to project into said vehicle through said opening when said members are resting upon said roof, a pair of reels loosely mounted on said frame having a belt wound therearound and extending thcrebctwecn, an idler loosely mounted under said central portion and engaged by said belt, means for alternately driving one ofsaid reels, and a cover removably secured over said openin 4. The combination with a vehicle having a roof and an opening therethrough, of a frame having members adapted to engage said roof and a centrally-located portion thereof formed to project into said vehicle through said opening, a pair of reels loosely mounted on said frame having a canvas wound therearound and extending therehetween, an idler loosely mounted under said centrally-localted portion and engaged by said canvas, means including a motor for alternately driving one of said reels, and a cover removably secured over said openine'.

5. In a street stop indicator, a plurality of LII) belt wound therearound, a loosely mounted reel having a short belt wound therearound for operative connection with the loose end of any of said stencilled belts, and means for alternately driving one of said reels.

6. In a street stop indicator, a plurality of loosely mounted reels having each a Stencilled belt wound therearound, a loosely mounted reel having a short belt wound therearound for operative connection with the loose end of any of said stencilled belts, means including an electric motor for alternately driving one of said reels, an idler positioned to be engaged by any of said belts when operatively connected to the belt in said last-mentioned reel, and a switch mechanism positionedin the path of the belts and adapted to stop said motor at regular distance intervals travelled by said belts.

7. In a street stop indicator, loosely mounted reels having sprockets rotating therewith and a stencilledbelt Wound therearound and extending therebetween, a motor having shaft extensions, sprockets loosely mounted on said shaft extensions in alignment with saidsprockets on said reels, chains trained between the co-acting sprockets on said reels and shaft extensions, and separate means for clutching said shaft extension sprockets with said motor shaft.

8. In a street sto indicator, a pair of spaced reels having a belt wound therearound and extending therebetween, said belt having dlvisions thereon and perforations therethrough opposlte sa1d divlslons, means 1ncluding an electric motor for alternately driving one of said reels, a circuit including sa1d motor therein, means for tensionmg sa1d belt, a supplementary circuit, a pivoted arm having a roller positioned to be engaged by I said belt and engage in said perforations and springheld in. a normal osition substantially at right angles to said elt, and contacts included in said supplmentary circuit and breaking said circuit by the movement of said arm. I

- 9. In a street stop indicator, a pair of spaced reels having a belt wound therearound and extending therebetween, said belt having divisions and tags rigidly secured to said belt opposite some of said divisions, means including an electric motor for alternately driving one of said reels, a circuit including said motor therein. a switch in said circuit at regular distance intervals travelled by said belt, a switch mechanism positioned in the path of said tags, and a circuit including said last mentioned switch mechanism therein for electrically-connecting said motor to the source of electricity when said first-mentioned mechamsm breaks sa1d first-menswitch tioned circuit.

Signed at the city of Toronto, this 27th day of September, 1927.

CHARLES WALTER KLEMENT. 

